Charlyne: Chillibreeze Is Like Second Family to Me

Our Team Stories series continues. We bring you bits from the life of Charlyne Sohtun, Team Leader, PowerPoint Design Services, Chillibreeze.

For those of you who are wondering why we are doing this, why time and energy is being spent on capturing the experiences, insights, and feedback from the staff of Chillibreeze.

Here is why: We want to see whether Chillibreeze is true to its mission statement, which reads:

The purpose of Chillibreeze goes beyond being a profitable company. Through the diligent work of a healthy company, we are transforming lives, creating wealth, providing purpose and adding value to customers, employees, families, and community. As a role model, Chillibreeze’s influence spreads throughout Northeast India and beyond.

We would love to hear from customers whether we are adding value to them!

Meanwhile, closer on hand, what is the perception of the staff of Chillibreeze?

Do they see changes in their lives, in their families and in their communities, after starting to work for Chillibreeze? Can a mere ‘job’ that one does bring such transformations?

We wanted to find out. We talked one-on-one with members of the staff who were willing to share their lives. Thus emerged these ‘stories’—straight from their heart. We present them here as team–stories, as true to what they said as possible.

Read on as Charlyne speaks…

Shillong has always been my home

I was born in Shillong and continue to live here—the only city I know. I love Shillong! The youngest of five siblings, I have four sisters and one brother, and we live in an area called Nongmensong. My father works as a security guard in Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), and my mother is a housewife.

I studied in St. Jerome School, Nongmensong, till the 10th standard. I did my 11th and 12th standard in Shillong College.

Qualified as a Software Engineer

I went on to get a Diploma in Software Engineering from Kuvempu University, through their distance education program. I always look to my father for guidance and advice. When it was time to choose the area for my college degree, my dad and I discussed it. We felt that software had a future and I liked programming. We took a collective decision that I would study to be a software engineer!

I did three semesters of my diploma course in NIIT, Shillong as it has a tie-up with Kuvempu University. I thoroughly enjoyed programming and writing codes.

I find my first job

Once I got my Diploma in Software Engineering, I was referred by NIIT to a company in Shillong, in the area of Software. I worked there for nine months, but found that the pay was low; the commute was very long, and I had to spend a lot on a taxi; and, I found it physically tiring. These were enough reasons to look for another job! I am glad I did because I found Chillibreeze!

I Join Chillibreeze

Even while I was doing my courses in NIIT, I had heard about Chillibreeze. By then the company had a reputation in Shillong as a good company to work for. I came to know about Chillibreeze through my sister too. She worked in a call center located close to Chillibreeze.

My sister and I had heard that it was hard to get into Chillibreeze, that we have to pass an online test, then do a personal interview, then training, then go through probation. Only if we successfully go through these can we be appointed? We thought this must be a good company! So, when I saw a Chillibreeze job poster in NIIT, I applied immediately.

I knew that I would not be working in the area of Software development in Chillibreeze, but that my knowledge of computers would be an advantage. I was confident that I could train myself to be good at PPT formatting. I applied online and went through the usual recruiting process and was lucky to be selected!

Later I realized that I need not have waited to see a job advertisement from Chillibreeze. The company is always on the lookout for new talent, and one can apply to Chillibreeze anytime online.

Promoted within two years

I joined Chillibreeze in April 2012 and much to my joy, in July 2014, I was promoted from my position as Executive to Sr. Executive, PowerPoint Design Services. I guess I earned it!

Chillibreeze decides how our performance rates every promotion and increment. But, I did go through a phase where my manager had to push me to improve. I took that as a challenge and worked on myself. I wanted to go to the next level and kept working hard. I was thrilled when I was promoted to a Team Leader in January 2016.

Apart from customer work, my responsibilities include training recruits. I like customer work, as it is both challenging and satisfying. But training to is enjoyable, and it is a new area I am growing in.

I can sharpen my skills when I train others , nd my confidence level and skillsets also increases. I get feedback that I am good at training and this makes me feel good!

“Charlyne was appointed as a full-time staff on 2nd April 2012. She started really well, but her performance took a bit of a downward turn and in June 2013 and she was handed a 3 months period to improve her performance. I believe she took this challenge in the most mature way and within 3 weeks her performance was way up. She has not looked back since and over the course of time, she has proven herself to be an invaluable member of the team.” –Suresh, Manager of PowerPoint Design Services

Better prepared to handle family responsibilities

The tradition in the Khasi community is that the youngest daughter has the responsibility of taking care of the parents in their old age. I am the youngest in our family and I feel better prepared for this task now thanks to the life skills I am learning in Chillibreeze! I am saying this with conviction as I see that I have matured, value time and money.

Future—as I see it

In Chillibreeze, the working environment is very cool and calm. Not noisy as it used to be in the IT Company I work for before. At the same time, it is very informal—we do not address our seniors as ‘Sir’, ‘Madam’ etc.

I bonded well with many of my colleagues and seniors. In fact, Chillibreeze is like a second family to me—where we share everything!

I am growing every day, with every new responsibility and new challenges coming my way. I see a future for myself in Chillibreeze and look forward to working here for many more years! I am sure that being here I will continue to grow as a professional, as a human being, as a sister to my siblings and as a daughter to my parents.